new doe not eating well (nerves, I think)--help!

JoannaCW · #1 04/17/10, 06:32 PM

I bought a 2yo Alpine doe, just under 2 weeks from her first freshening, and brought her home on Wednesday. She was quite nervous then, spent most of her time blatting in a low voice with her flanks popping in and out, and would hardly eat at all. Now she gets up onto the milk stand without needing to be pushed, pulled or lifted, she pops her flanks less, and I've seen her grazing a little bit and chewing her cud, but she's thin, doesn't settle well to graze (startles at any noise), and will eat very little grain; her milk production is going down. I'm not seeing signs of diarrhea, she seems energetic, and her ears are usually up and forward, so I am guessing that she is stressed rather than sick. Is there anything I should be doing or giving to her to encourage her appetite?

She's moved in with one other doe, also 2yo, smaller than she is, currently dominant but not inclined to butt her very much.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

dragonchick · #2 04/17/10, 07:28 PM

If shes due in 2 weeks the thinness your seeing may be caused by the babies dropping. This causes the hip area to look more hollowed out. Can you see her ribs? They should have a good covering of flesh but not so much that you have to dig for them.

JoannaCW · #3 04/17/10, 08:46 PM

Sorry, I should have been clearer: she freshened 2 weeks ago, a week and a half before I bought her.

Also, she has access to hay full-time as well as periodic grazing and grain on the milk stand.

JoannaCW · #4 04/17/10, 08:47 PM

I think her ribs are ok, but she's very hollow-flanked.

Alice In TX/MO · #5 04/17/10, 08:50 PM

I had an Alpine who acted like that most of the time. She was just a nervous Nellie. Super Hyper Alert!

QoTL · #6 04/17/10, 09:02 PM

My newest doe also acted similar to that (although not quite as bad!) when I first brought her home. Her milk production ALSO dropped for a few days, but then started right back up. She still yells at me a lot, and doesn't hang out with the goats like she's really all that comfortable with them, but she's getting there.

My other thought was to check her for worms. If she is stressed, worms might take advantage of that.

Backfourty,MI. · #7 04/18/10, 10:38 AM

I would definately worm her. If you bought her after she freshened then did the previous owners worm her? If not sure I would call & ask them. Other wise I'd worm her & do it again in 10 days.
She will probly still setttle down, sounds like she's getting alittle better for you already.
The food may be different than what she was getting also & maybe she just isn't use to it. What about alfafa pellets? Have you tried those yet? May give you more milk & help her with a little weight in the process.